[bpodgursky]

The reality is that your kid only demands an iPad because they know what an an iPad is. If you never crack the seal and show them a scren, even once, your kid will be briefly annoyed and then figure out ways to entertain themselves with the silverware.

(yes, I have 3 kids, I am speaking from experience)

[technothrasher]

Reminds me of when my toddler came back from an overnight at the grandparents house and started excitedly telling me about how you can put syrup and butter on pancakes. He had been just fine before that with plain pancakes, but wouldn't touch them afterward without syrup and butter. Thanks for that, dad.

[bpodgursky]

Yes, it definitely takes unpleasant and forceful conversations with grandparents and relatives.

(I'm fine with butter, but syrup is 100% off limits. Use berries.)

[mothballed]

Lol they will not 'entertain themselves' at that point. They will see you working on the computer, start smashing and mashing the buttons and annoying the ever living shit out of you because you have something they do not and it looks to be interesting. Yes you can deal with that in various ways, but they will have an idea what it is, even if you manage to suppress that curiosity through some form of discipline.

I'm not sure about your kid but if my kid sees something new, they will stop at absolutely nothing until they find out what it is. This is why it's good, for example, if a child is curious about something like guns to show them what it is in a supervised way rather than have them get a crowbar and break into your safe and find out the hard way and hurt themselves.

[bpodgursky]

The OP was about eating at a restaurant.

Yes, to work at home you need a home office and childcare.

[mothballed]

I envy your reality. In mine adults have to do work at random times during the day and holes in childcare exists. Something like an adult-only home office and childcare without holes is a pipe dream.

[bpodgursky]

Yeah my wife takes care of our kids during work hours. We're pretty strict about office door closed == dad working.

[nineteen999]

> We're pretty strict about office door closed == dad working

Interesting, I grew up in a house like that, and didn't see much of my dad for many years because of it. Something I didn't do with my own daughter, I always loved her coming into to distract me when I was working from home (pre-pandemic).

[bpodgursky]

I'm with the kids 7-9 (wakeup and breakfast) and 5:30 - 9 (dinner, play, bedtime). Plus weekends. It's fine.